Single lever remote control for outboard motors



April 28, 1964- c. BURNHAM 3,130,598

SINGLE LEVER REMOTE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed April 15, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1964 c. BURNHAM 3,130,598

SINGLE LEVER REMOTE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed April 13, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 3,136,598 SINGLE LEVER REM'I'E CNTRL FR U'IBARD ll/ITORSCrehert Burnham, 252i) Parli Lane, Glenview, Ill. Filed Apr. I3, 1961,Ser. No. 162,695 11 Claims. (Cl. 741-472) This invention relates to acontrol device and more particularly to a single lever remote controlfor selective control of throttle and shifting of an outboard motor.

Small boating on inland waterways and in the coastal Waterways in oftendone with an outboard type of motor controlled from a forward positionin the boat. A steering wheel is provided for turning the propellerdirection relative to the boat for steering purposes and lever controlsare provided for controlling the throttle setting and for shifting themotor from forward to reverse. When a boat is approaching a dock or anyother stationary object, it may be extremely important to be able toreverse the direction of the outboard motor propeller quickly andeasily. The throttle setting of an outboard motor should be low or inidle position before a shift is made. The present control provides asingle lever for controlling the throttle setting and shifting where asingle direction movement will accomplish proper throttle setting andshifting without further addition.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improvedremote control for outboard motors.

Another object is to provide a new and improved single lever control fora pair of linearly movable controlled members.

Another object is to provide a single lever control for outboard motorsand the like of simplified construction providing adequate leverage forsmooth eortless operation.

A still further object is to provide a simplified control for a pair oflinearly movable controlled members which move in sequence with eachmember being held stationary while the other is moved and wherein thesingle control imposing member is moved unidirectionally.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent in the following description of a preferred embodimentillustrated in the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of the controller embodying theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the controller takensubstantially along line 4 4 in FIG- URE l.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the internal mechanism with the cover plateremoved and taken substantially along line 5 5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURES 6 to l2, inclusive, are diagrammatc views of the control andcontrolled members showing their various positions in operation.

FIGURE 6 is a view of the control member in neutral position.

FIGURE 7 is a view of the controlled member for shifting the gears ofthe outboard motor when such member is in neutral position.

FIGURE 8 is a view of the controlled member for the throttle of theoutboard member when in neutral position.

FIGURE 9 is a view of the control member in position to shift the motorto forward.

FIGURE l0 is a view of the member shown in FIG- URE 7 in position toshift the motor to forward.

FIGURE ll is a view of the member of FIGURE 8 in the position to shiftthe motor to forward.

FIGURE l2 is a view of the mechanism in which the shift control has beenmoved to a position to allow starting and warm up of the motor withoutshifting the gears.

The control mechanism described in this application may have applicationin many industries and for any control requiring linearly moved membersto be moved in sequence. The present design is particularly suited forthe remote control of an outboard motor. When the motor is out of gearand idling, a condition is present suitable for shifting the motoreither into forward or reverse. After the shift has been made, thethrottle setting of the motor may be increased at will. The throttlesetting should be returned to the idle setting before any shiftingoccurs. In the present controller there is a single lever controllingboth throttle and shifting. The throttle setting is automaticallyreturned to idle setting before the gears are shifted.

Referring to FIGURES l to 3, the controller has a housing l5 from whichextend a pair of cable members le and i7 which extend from the cockpitofthe boat rearwardly to the outboard motor. These cables are caused tornove linearly by the movement of a single lever or control handle I3pivoted on a central member I9 supported in the housing. The full lineposition of the lever releasably held by an auxiliary catch 24B is inthe neutral position. When the lever is shifted clockwise to the dottedposition 2l, the upper cable I6 has moved to shift the motor to reverse.The remaining movement beyond the position 2l toward the position 22merely increases the throttle setting by linearly moving the cable 17.

Reverse movement of the handle I8, or in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIGURE l to the dotted line position 23, moves the upper cable16 to shift the motor to forward. Additional movement toward the dottedline position 24, also clockwise, merely moves the lower cable I7, thuschanging the throttle setting of the motor. An intermediate position 25opposite a legend on the housing start indicates an intermediate orpartial setting of the throttle which may be used when starting theoutboard motor. Suitable legends are printed upon the housing toindicate the direction and throttle setting for positions of the lever,however, such legends are optional.

The housing may be made in various manners, the present constructioninvolving a back wall 26 with upstanding side walls Z7 and a cover 28secured to the side walls. Suitable brackets 29 may be used to mount thecontroller on a side rail Sil of the boat in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 2. The present construction formed of sheet metal is forillustrative purposes only, other constructions lbeing, both possibleand contemplated.

The internal mechanism by which the single lever 18 controls the cablesI6 and 17 comprises a central plate or control member 3l secured to thecentral pivot member I9 which is caused to turn in the housing when thelever is swung. The plate has a pair of studs 32 and 33. The stud 33controls the guided linear movement of a plate 34 having a cam grooveembracing the stud. The plate 3e is secured to the cable I6 so that themovement of this plate may shift the gears of the Outboard motor. Themovement of the throttle control cable I7 is caused by guided linearmovement of a plate 35 having a cam groove which embraces the stud 32 onthe control member. The operation of the studs in the cam grooves isbest shown in the diagrammatic views of the FIGURES 6 to l2. When thecontrol member is in neutral position as shown in FIGURE 6, one stud 33is directly in line with the handle and the other stud 32 is at 90therefrom. Both studs will move in an arc about the center of thecontrol member since the control disc 31 is rotatable about the centerpivot axis.

The shift control member is best seen in FIGURE 7. In the neutralposition as shown the stud is in a straight portion 36 of a cam grooveextending vertically above the center so that movement of the stud inits arcuate path in either direction will cause the shift control plate34 to move linearly to the right or left as viewed in FIGURE 7. Thecontrol plate has a center horizontal slot 37 in which a smaller centralshaft 33 reposes. This shaft is shown in FIGURE 4 as passing into thehousing and into the central member 19. This central shaft limitsmovement of the shift member 34 to a linear path when the control memberis rotated within the housing. For example, a comparison between FIGURES7 and l0 will show that upon rotation of the control imposing member 31from the position of FIGURE 6 counterclockwise to the position of FIGURE9 causes the shift member 34 to move to the left. The member 34 hasmoved so that the slot 37 in the center of the member slides past theshaft 3S until the far end of the slot abuts the shaft. Movement isarrested with the stud 33 in proper position only to enter the arcuateportion 39 or" the cam groove. No jamming can occur. At this moment thestud 33 has passed downwardly through the vertical portion 36 of the camslot. Any further turning of the control member will simply move thestud 33 into the arcuate portion 39 of the cam groove. No furthermovement of the shift plate will occur since the arcuate portion 39 ofthe cam groove has its center on the center of the shaft 38 and theshift plate is in effect locked in position between the stud 33 andcenter shaft 38.

From the description of the parts made above, it should be evident thatthe iirst movement of the control lever 1S has the effect of moving theshift member 34 by the engagement of the stud 33 and the verticalportion 36 of the cam groove in the shift controlling member. During thetime that this movement was occurring, the throttle control wasmaintained in an idle position. Referring to FIGURE 8, the throttlecontrol member 35 is shown with a cam groove embracing the stud 32. Anarcuate portion 4t? of the cam groove has its center coincident with thecenter about which the control member turns. During the movement of thehandle from the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1 to the dottedline position 23, the stud 32 merely traveled through the arcuateportion 40 of the cam groove without causing linear movement of thethrottle control member. The two extreme positions are shown in FIGURES8 and ll. Once the stud has reached the position at the lower end of thearcuate cam groove portion as illustrated in FIGURE ll, further rotationwill cause the throttle control member to move to the right as viewed inFIGURE ll. The lower straight portion 41 of the cam groove guiding uponand embracing the stud 32 will cause the movement specified. Anelongated slot 42 in the throttle control plate 3S allows the plate tomove linearly without interfering with the rotation of the controlmember and without interference with the central member 19.

The conditions shown in FIGURES 6 to ll are those which are encounteredwhen the control lever 18 is shifted from `a neutral position to aforward position indicated by the dotted line 23 in FIGURE l. Certainmovements of similar nature occur when the control lever is shifted fromneutral to a reverse position as illustrated in dotted lines by thereference 21 in FIGURE l. Referring to FIGURE l0, the stud 33 will be inthe same position in the cam slots of the shift control member, but theshift control member will be to the right of center so that the centralshaft 38 will be in the left-hand end of the slot 37. Referring toFIGURES 8 and l1, the throttle plate will not have moved but the stud 32will be at the upper end of the arcuate cam slot 40. After the shift ismade either into reverse or forward, further movement of the levermerely causes movement of the throttle plate. The shift lever has anarcuate cam portion 43 into which the stud 33 moves during throttlecontrol when the shift is in reverse. The throttle control plate has anupper straight portion 44 similar to the lower straight portion 41 forembracing the stud 32 and moving the throttle plate to control motorthrottle setting when the conrol is in reverse. The throttle settingthus occurs by movement of the lever in an area beyond the initialmovement which causes shifting of the gears ofthe motor.

The starting of an outboard is usually accomplished with the motor inneutral. However, the throttle setting may be desired somewhat aboveidle position. In the present control there is an auxiliary lever forrendering the shift member inoperative so that throttle settings may beselected above idle without first shifting the motor into reverse orforward. Referring to FIGURE l, the auriliary lever 45 as shown in fullline position is opposite the legend run In this position bothcontrolled members are operative and under the influence of movement ofthe lever 18. For starting purposes the lever should be moved to thedotted line position opposite the legend start The effect of suchmovement is best illustrated in FIGURES 7 and l2. Lever 45 has a shortarm 46 with a stud 47 thereon riding within a groove 48 in the shiftcontrol plate 34. Ordinarily, stud 47 simply rides irl the groove anddoes not affect or hinder the movement of the shift control plate in anymanner. The horizontal groove 37 in the shift control plate has anauxiliary upstanding portion 49 at the center thereof to permit theplate 34 to be moved downwardly over the central shaft 38. Such positionis illustrated in FIGURE l2. The lever 45 is pivoted on the shaft 38 sothat movement to the right from the position of FIGURE 7 to that of FIG-URE 12 allows the stud 47 on the lever to pivot the control platedownwardly about the central shaft 38. When this occurs, the stud 33 onthe control member 31 moves upwardly out of the vertical portion 36 ofthe cam groove into an arcuate cam groove portion Si). When the partsare in the position of FIGURE 12 movement of the control lever 18counterclocltwise in FIGURE l will carry the stud 33 through the camgroove portion 50 without causing any longitudinal movement of the shiftplate. The only control effected by the lever will be the throttlesetting in the usual way as previously described. After the motor issufficiently warm for running, the control lever 18 may be returned toits neutral position so that the starting lever 45 may be returned toits run position which will return the shift controlling plate to anoperative relation with the control member 31.

The arcuate portions of the cam grooves described embrace the studs onthe control member and serve to hold the controlled members stationarywhen desired. Except for this function, the arcuate portions of the camgrooves might be enlarged so that the studs simply would not engage anypart of the controlled member when the other controlled member was beingmoved. In the particular design it is desirable, however, to maintain apositive control over both controlled members at all times, therebyavoiding the necessity of any other mechanism to hold either controlledmember stationary while the other is being moved. The leverage providedby the distance between the center of rotation of the control member andthe studs may be chosen to provide sufficient mechanical advantage forshifting any outboard motor or may be changed to be applicable to othercontrolled members.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled inthe art.

I claim:

l. A single lever remote control unit for outboard motors, comprising: ahousing; a control member rotatably mounted in the housing having acontrol lever; a pair of push-pull controlled members longitudinallyslidable in the housing for connection respectively with throttle andshifting controls on the motor; a pair of studs on the control membereach movable in an arcuate path relativ@ O the hOuSing with swingingmovement of the control lever; cam groove means on each controlledmember engaging one of said studs, said cam groove means having arcuateportions arranged on the path of movement of said studs to permit thestud to move with the control member with push-pull longitudinalmovement of only one of the controlled members at a time, said camgroove means being arranged for said studs to move the shift controlledmember in said housing prior to movement of the throttle controlledmember in said housing and to so move said controlled members insequence upon swinging movement of the control lever in one direction.

2. A single lever remote control for an outboard motor, comprising: ahousing; a control member rotatably mounted in the housing and having acontrol lever; a pair of controlled members slidably movable in thehousing for providing push-pull control respectively of throttle andgear shifting of the motor, said member having a pair of studs and eachof said controlled members having cam surfaces engaging one of saidstuds, at least one of said cam surfaces having an arcuate portioncentered on the center of rotation of said control member permittingsaid one controlled member to remain stationary during movement of thecontrol lever.

3. A single lever remote control for outboard motors, comprising: ahousing; a control member rotatably mounted in the housing having acontrol lever; a pair of slidable controlled members in the housing forconnection respectively to throttle and shifting controls on the motor;means forming cam surfaces on each controlled member and a stud on saidcontrol member for engaging said cam surfaces and moving the controlledmembers upon swinging of said control lever, said throttle controlledmember having cam surfaces arcuate about the center of rotation of saidcontrol member to permit movement of said shifting controlled memberwhile the throttle controlled member remains stationary.

4. A control as specified in claim 3 in which the shifting controlledmember also has cam surfaces arcuate about the center of rotation ofsaid control member e11- gaged by the respective stud on said controlmember following movement of said shifting controlled member whereby thesame may remain stationary during further movement of the control leverto move the throttle controlled member.

5. A control as specified in claim 3 in which the shifting controlledmember slidably moves longitudinally of the housing in a plane and hasan auxiliary arcuate cam surface to receive the stud engaging saidmember upon selective movement of the shifting controlled member in saidplane transversely of said longitudinal movement prior to movement ofthe control lever whereby the control member controls only the throttlecontrol member.

6. A single lever control unit for a pair of sequentially operatedpush-pull controlled members, comprising; a pivoted control memberadapted to be moved arcuately to provide control; a control lever forsaid control member, a pair of longitudinally movable controlled membersadjacent and besides the control member; a pair of studs on the controlmember each movable in an arcuate path with movement of the controllever; cam groove means on each controlled member engaging one of saidstuds, said cam groove means having arcuate portions centered on thecenter of rotation of the control member for movement of the respectivestud therethrough without moving the respective controlled memberengaged by said respective stud, said arcuate portions being arranged toprovide sequential movement of the controlled members upon arcuatemovement of the control member in a single direction.

7. A control as specified in claim 6, wherein one of the controlledmembers moves longitudinally in a plane and has an auxiliary arcuate camportion for receiving the stud upon selective movement of the controlledmember in said plane transversely of said longitudinal direction andprior to movement of the control lever whereby to remove the onecontrolled member out of control of the control member permitting onlythe other controlled member to be controlled.

8. A single lever remote control for an outboard motor, comprising; ahousing; a control member rotatably mounted in the housing and having acontrol lever, said control member having a pair of outwardly extendingstuds spaced from the center of rotation of the member; a pair ofcontrolled members guided in said housing for push-pull controlrespectively of throttle and shifting of said motor, each controlledmember having cam slots embracing one of asid studs, each cam slothaving walls arcuate about the center of rotation of the control memberto permit some rotation of the control member without movement of thecontrolled member.

9. A single lever remote control unit for outboard motors, comprising: ahousing; a control member and a pin rotatably mounting the member in thehousing, said member having a control level; a pair of push-pullcontrolled members in the housing for connection respectively withthrottle and shifting controls on the motor, said controlled membersbeing plates having a guide slot embracing the pin rotatably mountingsaid control member; a pair of studs on the control member each movablein an arcuate path around said pin; said controlled member plates eachhaving cam grooves respectively embracing one of said studs, portions ofsaid grooves being arcuate about said pin as a center to permit swingingof the control member without moving the controlled member, said arcuateportions of said grooves being arranged to permit sequential movement ofthe controlled members upon movement of the control lever in onedirection.

10. A control as specified in claim 9 in which the studs on the controlmember are located about apart relative to the center of rotation of themember.

11. A control as specified in claim 9 in which the studs extendoutwardly on opposite sides of the control member and the controlledmembers are mounted on opposite sides of the member to engage saidstuds.

Coykendall May 1, 1928 Pierce Oct. 25, 1960

1. A SINGLE LEVER REMOTE CONTROL UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS, COMPRISING: AHOUSING; A CONTROL MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING HAVING ACONTROL LEVER; A PAIR OF PUSH-PULL CONTROLLED MEMBERS LONGITUDINALLYSLIDABLE IN THE HOUSING FOR CONNECTION RESPECTIVELY WITH THROTTLE ANDSHIFTING CONTROLS ON THE MOTOR; A PAIR OF STUDS ON THE CONTROL MEMBEREACH MOVABLE IN AN ARCUATE PATH RELATIVE TO THE HOUSING WITH SWINGINGMOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL LEVER; CAM GROOVE MEANS ON EACH CONTROLLEDMEMBER ENGAGING ONE OF SAID STUDS, SAID CAM GROOVE MEANS HAVING ARCUATEPORTIONS ARRANGED ON THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID STUDS TO PERMIT THESTUD TO MOVE WITH THE CONTROL MEMBER WITH PUSH-PULL LONGITUDINALMOVEMENT OF ONLY ONE OF THE CONTROLLED MEMBERS AT A TIME, SAID CAMGROOVE MEANS BEING ARRANGED FOR SAID STUDS TO MOVE THE SHIFT CONTROLLEDMEMBER IN SAID HOUSING PRIOR TO MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROLLEDMEMBER IN SAID HOUSING AND TO SO MOVE SAID CONTROLLED MEMBERS INSEQUENCE UPON SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL LEVER IN ONE DIRECTION.